Best states for a foster care case manager

Q: What is the best state for foster care case managers?

The best state to be a foster care case manager is New York based on foster care case manager salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for foster care case managers?

The highest paying state for foster care case managers is Georgia based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for foster care case managers?

The worst state for foster care case managers is Alabama, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Mona Danner Ph.D.

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Foster care case manager opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for foster care case managers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for foster care case managers.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for foster care case managers. We found that New York is the best state in the nation for foster care case managers, and people in Long Beach earn the most in the field.

The median salary for foster care case managers in New York is $48,787. Compare that to the median salary in Alabama of $31,229, which ranked worst for foster care case managers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that New York is the best state for foster care case manager jobs, whereas Alabama is the worst.

10 best states for foster care case managers in 2025

1. New York
Total foster care case manager jobs: 3,243
Average annual salary: $48,787
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Location Quotient:
1.38
Foster care case manager jobs in New York
2. Illinois
Total foster care case manager jobs: 2,523
Average annual salary: $46,558
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Foster care case manager jobs in Illinois
3. New Mexico
Total foster care case manager jobs: 399
Average annual salary: $45,788
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Foster care case manager jobs in New Mexico
4. Nevada
Total foster care case manager jobs: 433
Average annual salary: $43,517
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Foster care case manager jobs in Nevada
5. New Jersey
Total foster care case manager jobs: 1,633
Average annual salary: $45,789
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
1.12
Foster care case manager jobs in New Jersey
6. Wisconsin
Total foster care case manager jobs: 1,117
Average annual salary: $43,447
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Foster care case manager jobs in Wisconsin
7. North Carolina
Total foster care case manager jobs: 1,664
Average annual salary: $45,197
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Foster care case manager jobs in North Carolina
8. District of Columbia
Total foster care case manager jobs: 290
Average annual salary: $51,649
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Foster care case manager jobs in District of Columbia
9. California
Total foster care case manager jobs: 6,903
Average annual salary: $44,504
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
1.28
Foster care case manager jobs in California
10. New Hampshire
Total foster care case manager jobs: 306
Average annual salary: $44,329
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Foster care case manager jobs in New Hampshire

Foster care case manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a foster care case manager

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a foster care case manager

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New York	$48,787	$37,000	19,849,399	3,243
2	Illinois	$46,558	$36,000	12,802,023	2,523
3	New Mexico	$45,788	$35,000	2,088,070	399
4	Nevada	$43,517	$32,000	2,998,039	433
5	New Jersey	$45,789	$34,000	9,005,644	1,633
6	Wisconsin	$43,447	$34,000	5,795,483	1,117
7	North Carolina	$45,197	$34,000	10,273,419	1,664
8	District of Columbia	$51,649	$38,000	693,972	290
9	California	$44,504	$32,000	39,536,653	6,903
10	New Hampshire	$44,329	$35,000	1,342,795	306
11	North Dakota	$44,131	$36,000	755,393	156
12	Ohio	$41,799	$31,000	11,658,609	1,786
13	Mississippi	$38,153	$29,000	2,984,100	493
14	Iowa	$38,835	$30,000	3,145,711	737
15	Virginia	$44,021	$32,000	8,470,020	1,613
16	Minnesota	$40,554	$32,000	5,576,606	1,337
17	Washington	$40,021	$32,000	7,405,743	1,665
18	Connecticut	$45,002	$35,000	3,588,184	343
19	Alaska	$39,150	$34,000	739,795	238
20	Rhode Island	$41,289	$32,000	1,059,639	207
21	Oregon	$41,534	$32,000	4,142,776	758
22	Delaware	$42,815	$31,000	961,939	214
23	Michigan	$36,744	$28,000	9,962,311	1,782
24	Maine	$36,459	$29,000	1,335,907	407
25	Maryland	$39,757	$29,000	6,052,177	1,312
26	Pennsylvania	$39,081	$29,000	12,805,537	1,140
27	Hawaii	$43,048	$37,000	1,427,538	158
28	Arizona	$35,999	$27,000	7,016,270	1,636
29	Florida	$39,873	$30,000	20,984,400	2,146
30	Colorado	$38,961	$30,000	5,607,154	1,131
31	Missouri	$35,697	$28,000	6,113,532	1,193
32	Idaho	$36,384	$29,000	1,716,943	292
33	Montana	$35,253	$28,000	1,050,493	278
34	South Carolina	$36,809	$28,000	5,024,369	763
35	Kentucky	$35,636	$27,000	4,454,189	650
36	Wyoming	$35,246	$28,000	579,315	113
37	Arkansas	$36,600	$28,000	3,004,279	286
38	West Virginia	$33,828	$25,000	1,815,857	303
39	Vermont	$36,297	$29,000	623,657	132
40	Indiana	$35,154	$27,000	6,666,818	599
41	Tennessee	$32,906	$25,000	6,715,984	1,128
42	Texas	$35,588	$27,000	28,304,596	2,013
43	Kansas	$34,788	$27,000	2,913,123	435
44	Louisiana	$33,081	$25,000	4,684,333	618
45	Oklahoma	$32,129	$25,000	3,930,864	614
46	South Dakota	$31,889	$25,000	869,666	212
47	Nebraska	$33,970	$26,000	1,920,076	366
48	Utah	$33,630	$26,000	3,101,833	461
49	Georgia	$29,570	$22,000	10,429,379	2,027
50	Massachusetts	$33,541	$26,000	6,859,819	1,546
51	Alabama	$31,229	$24,000	4,874,747	709

Highest paying states for foster care case managers

Rank	State	Avg. Foster Care Case Manager Salary
1	New York	$48,787
2	Illinois	$46,558
3	New Mexico	$45,788
4	Nevada	$43,517
5	New Jersey	$45,789
6	Wisconsin	$43,447
7	North Carolina	$45,197
8	District of Columbia	$51,649
9	California	$44,504
10	New Hampshire	$44,329
11	North Dakota	$44,131
12	Ohio	$41,799
13	Mississippi	$38,153
14	Iowa	$38,835
15	Virginia	$44,021
16	Minnesota	$40,554
17	Washington	$40,021
18	Connecticut	$45,002
19	Alaska	$39,150
20	Rhode Island	$41,289
21	Oregon	$41,534
22	Delaware	$42,815
23	Michigan	$36,744
24	Maine	$36,459
25	Maryland	$39,757
26	Pennsylvania	$39,081
27	Hawaii	$43,048
28	Arizona	$35,999
29	Florida	$39,873
30	Colorado	$38,961
31	Missouri	$35,697
32	Idaho	$36,384
33	Montana	$35,253
34	South Carolina	$36,809
35	Kentucky	$35,636
36	Wyoming	$35,246
37	Arkansas	$36,600
38	West Virginia	$33,828
39	Vermont	$36,297
40	Indiana	$35,154
41	Tennessee	$32,906
42	Texas	$35,588
43	Kansas	$34,788
44	Louisiana	$33,081
45	Oklahoma	$32,129
46	South Dakota	$31,889
47	Nebraska	$33,970
48	Utah	$33,630
49	Georgia	$29,570
50	Massachusetts	$33,541
51	Alabama	$31,229

Expert opinions on the best states for foster care case managers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for foster care case managers to find work opportunities?
Mona Danner Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Sociology & Criminal Justice, Old Dominion University
Sociology graduates often pursue jobs that involve working directly with people in providing all manner of social services. Those services are needed everywhere.

Foster care case manager best states FAQs

What is the best state for foster care case managers?

What is the highest paying state for foster care case managers?

What is the worst state for foster care case managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

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Best states for Foster Care Case Managers

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

Total foster care case manager jobs:	3,243
Average annual salary:	$48,787
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$37,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$63,000
Location Quotient:	1.38

Best states for a foster care case manager

10 best states for foster care case managers in 2025

1. New York

2. Illinois

3. New Mexico

4. Nevada

5. New Jersey

6. Wisconsin

7. North Carolina

8. District of Columbia

9. California

10. New Hampshire